Despite deliberately prioritising recovery since Brighton, I found myself still not yet 100% recovered this week, and so I searched for an event that isn't too physically demanding. Fortunately Burnham-on-Crouch seemed to be an ideal candidate!
The area
Burnham-on-Crouch parkrun takes place in Riverside Park. Burnham-on-Crouch is a relatively small but well-developed town with a strong connection to the yachting and sailing industries.
The town hosts a number of cultural events throughout the year, including an Illumination Carnival on the last Saturday of September, and the Burnham Week - which includes competitive yacht and dinghy racing in the last week of August each year, while the town also has a very active yacht and sailing scene throughout the remainder of the year.
The course
The course follows two laps of a multi-terrain course, approximately two-thirds on grass, with one-third on gravel and tarmac. The route is mostly within Riverside Park, with a short section along the promenade. The route follows mown paths through meadows, with additional cones to help mark the way, so is very easy to follow. The grass paths are also well maintained, which meant good footing, and short grass. There is a small incline on the grass section - approximately half way around the loop, but it doesn't have a major impact on the overall run.
Several large free car parks are available near the start, as well as public toilets which were already open by the time I arrived. The town's main high street is a short walk from the park, and is home to a number of cafes for after-run refreshments.
The run
It was a humid and windy start to the day today, and with me still being in recovery mode, my plan for the day was a steady, rather than an all-out effort. I realised just how humid it was even before arriving, thanks to the relatively low visibility during the drive, and I really felt it during my warm up.
During the run briefing, runners were told about a new juniors event starting the next day, and without too much hassle, we turned around to the start, and were off! We set off along the grass, which felt quite bouncy compared to the other grass-based events, and while I felt much stronger compared to last week's run, I could feel that I was still recovering - my heart rate was still quite high, and my breathing was more labored than pre-Brighton. Fortunately I found an effort-level that was mostly sustainable, and the hill wasn't too hard on me!
Thanks to all of the volunteers for a great event, and best of luck with the new juniors event!
After the run
After the run, I decided to follow the River Crouch Path trail to get a better taste of the area. Starting in Riverside Park, which also hosts parkrun, the out-and-back trail heads upstream, before returning the the same spot.
The first major landmark is the Yacht Harbour, which is encountered during the parkrun course itself.
Several other sailing clubs are located along the river.
The path from Burnham towards Althorne is single track, and so could perhaps be muddy during wetter weather, but the humidity and the wind were the biggest challenges today.
The area seems to be a hotspot for mansions - a number are encountered along the route, although I decided against taking too many pictures in the interest of privacy.
Links: Run report | Results | Strava | River Crouch Path via Riverside Park | AllTrails